Ireland is an island in northwest Europe in the north Atlantic Ocean whose main geographical features include low central plains surrounded by a ring of coastal mountains.
Ireland is a parliamentary, representative democratic republic and a member state of the European Union. While the head of state is the popularly elected President of Ireland, this is a largely ceremonial position with real political power being vested in the indirectly elected Taoiseach (prime minister) who is the head of the government.
Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have different currencies.
In the Republic of Ireland the currency used is the Euro and in Northern Ireland the currency used is the Pound Sterling.